On Sunday, February 9, Kendrick Lamar made history as the first solo rapper to headline the Super Bowl Halftime Show. He put on an intricately choreographed performance rich in symbolism and references, brought out special guests SZA, Serena Williams, and Samuel L. Jackson, and dissed Drake in two languages when you consider his Sign Language interpreter had to also perform “Not Like Us.”
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Alongside co-creative director Mike Carter, Kendrick Lamar designed an incredible show that sparked many conversations online. Fans were breaking down the symbolism, revealing his references, applauding the fact that he made these profound statements during Black History Month as well as this general time of political division. Lamar writes from an intellectual place, his rhymes and turns of phrase nearly Shakespearian in their cleverness and cinematic in their imagery, according to critics. Then he created a multi-layered political and cultural statement on one of the most-watched platforms in America.
Gathered through sources like Impact, BET, and the Tehom Center, here is a compilation of just a few of the most crucial references, symbols, and imagery from Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show. Watch the show below, and check out the other analyses for further context and information.
Samuel L. Jackson Introduces the “Great American Game”
Kendrick Lamar’s Halftime Show opened with an introduction from Samuel L. Jackson dressed as Uncle Sam from the WWI recruitment poster. The theme of the performance was the “Great American Game.” Throughout the show there were references to gaming, such as in the set design made to look like the PlayStation button controls.
Jackson’s cameo and character is important to note because of his history of activism. He attended historically Black Morehouse College in Atlanta in the late 1960s. However, he was expelled after protesting the lack of Black representation on the college’s governing board and curriculum.
Apparently, he and other Morehouse students locked the board of trustees in a classroom for two days, demanding more representation on the board and in the curriculum. This was following the assassination of Morehouse alumni Martin Luther King Jr., and tensions were already high. Jackson got involved with the Black Power Movement in Atlanta, but was eventually sent to L.A. by his mother, who was confronted by the FBI over her son’s radical activism.
Eventually, Jackson returned to Morehouse in 1971 to major in drama. “I decided that theater would now be my politics. It could engage people and affect the way they think. It might even change some minds,” he told Parade in 2005.
“The Revolution About to Be Televised, You Picked the Right Time But the Wrong Guy”
This entire Halftime Show was politically charged—subtly in some ways, overt in others. Right off the bat, Kendrick Lamar began his performance kneeling. A move that the Tehom Center wrote was reminiscent of Colin Kaepernick’s protest of police brutality. During NFL games, Kaepernick knelt for the national anthem, sparking controversy among many political and social factions.
Lamar started off with an unreleased song, transitioning to “squabble up” from recent album GNX by referencing Gil Scott-Heron’s 1971 song “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.” However, Lamar altered the words but kept the overall meaning of the statement by saying “The revolution about to be televised.” As if he was bringing the sentiment out of 1971 and into 2025—literally, the revolution was televised on national TV to 127.7 million viewers.
His “you picked the right time but the wrong guy” statement could refer to his preference for minimalism. This goes against what most artists do for a Halftime Show. This could also reference his penchant for conscious rap. This is a subgenre of hip-hop that focuses on political and social issues. Especially now, when many people might want to ignore what’s happening in American politics, Kendrick Lamar essentially said “you picked me for this, so now you’re going to hear about it whether you want to or not.”
“Too Loud, Too Reckless, Too Ghetto”
Samuel L. Jackson chastised Lamar for being “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto” early in his performance. The Tehom Center posited that this was a reference to “how America polices Blackness, as well as rap’s history as an outlet for political dissatisfaction and discussion,” the Center wrote in an analysis on social media. Jackson then urged Lamar to “tighten up.” This further fed the narrative of censorship and control, as well as the pressure to conform and become “palatable to white audiences.”
After Lamar and SZA performed their commercial hit “All the Stars” from the Black Panther soundtrack, Jackson declared, “That’s what I’m talking about. That’s what America wants—nice and calm. Don’t mess this up.” However, Kendrick Lamar didn’t heed the warning from the human embodiment of the American government; he rapped about “a cultural divide,” a nameless entity that “tried to rig the game,” and “40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than music.”
Much More Than Dissing Drake on a Huge Scale, Kendrick Lamar’s Halftime Show Created Commentary and Conversation
Lamar, of course, performed his Grammy-winning diss track “Not Like Us.” He opened the song after declaring “I want to perform their favorite song but you know they love to sue.” This was a reference to Drake’s recent lawsuit against Universal Music Group. While Lamar satisfied fans with his current hit after teasing it for most of the performance, it was more than just an excuse to diss Drake on a huge scale.
The brutal lyrics to “Not Like Us” were modified for the Super Bowl audience. However, that didn’t stop the crowd from filling in the gaps. According to a report by Yesha Callahan for BET, the stadium was alive with chants and shouts during “Not Like Us,” the crowd turning the diss track into a “rallying call.” Callahan’s report continued, “‘Not Like Us’ was no longer just about a rap feud; it had become a statement on authenticity, integrity, and the unshakable influence of Black artistry.”
Kendrick Lamar Knows How to Entertain, But He Also Knows How to Make People Uncomfortably Aware
Before the show, Kendrick Lamar held a press conference with Apple Music. There, he was asked what the Halftime Show would entail. “Storytelling,” he said, according to a social media post from Impact. He added, “I think I’ve alway been very open about storytelling through all my catalog and my history of music.”
He continued, “And I’ve always had a passion for bringing that on whatever stage I’m on—that sense of, you know, make people listen but also see and think a little.”
Kendrick Lamar brought his artistry, passion, and minimal yet conscious performing style to an unsuspecting Super Bowl audience. This was more than a Halftime Show, which multiple analyses have proven. It was a cultural, social, and revolutionary statement from one of the most prolific rappers of his time. Lamar was already making history by headlining the Halftime Show as a solo rapper. But, he used the opportunity to turn the performance into something with social and political impact.
Featured Image by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
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